#debukefarmhold

"And we are shadows."

"Shadows hide around mountains" He muses "I guess they're useful" then he nods approvingly "Trolls are okay then."

"But blunt."

"HA!" a bark of laughter. "Blunt?"

Her fingers knot together, gaze back on the floor.

"Yeah, nockers too, but nobody's perfect. It.." Jacob searches for the right word "It behooves us sluagh to endure the failings of other kith and support them in the proper ways of which they are often sadly ignorant."

Earl blinks at that.

As does Miriam.

"Aye. Manners, always."

The boy nods, absorbing this like a sponge

Finally Earl says "Did you have a chat with Mr. DeVere? while I wasn't looking?"

"so blunt" The boy whispers to Zara with a sigh

"No matter what, aye? Manners. Tis thy shield as much as any one of steel." She smoothes out the crumpled hem of her blouse.

A soft nod, earnest

"Up to the point you say please don't to the sword swingin' at ya....."

"And aye, sained soon. Then you and Miriam may find a place."

A brief, wry smile. "Do daggers count? For I have turned one with a word."

And Earl has another flash of pride on his face, but keeps quiet

"Golnaz did not account for fair fortune."

"What's that?" The boy says.. then "You stopped a dagger? " Eyes wide on him then looks to Miriam "Mom, can I have a knife?"

"Yeah, sooner or later."

"Cool." Jacob says and smiles "Yes. I'll get sained. And you guys will be there. " Happy "So, is there anything else I should know about our family? Maybe the DeBukes have some moldy pepperoni pizza and we can talk about it during an early lunch?"

Earl suddenly looks abit amused at something

"I know not if they have pizza."

"oh..." The boy says "Well, could we have something? I'm hungry"

She rubs at her face again. "I'll... I'll go tend to the food, aye. I think there are mushrooms."

"Jacob'll go with ya."

"Sure.. I'll help" Jacob moves to follow, a shadow to the shadow

Then he thinks about it, hugs his mom, and then goes back to his sister

Miriam takes the hug, squeezing back briefly.

"Hearth Agnes is very accommodating to us..." She explains as she leads Jacob away.

"She always seems so serious..." the boy says wandering off after but is attentive.

Miriam gives Earl a very very tired look. "How you think she wants me around is beyond me."

"How you don't see it boggles me" earl says back "Though to be fair, she... does give some conflicting signals at time. I maybe in trouble with her after this" He winces

"She don't even talk to me. Won't tell me what she wants, apologizes all the time....."

"because she's sure she's making it worse, that she's screwing it ... or everything ..up"

"Feh."

"Yes, Feh but still how she feels" A sip

"Pretty sure we're doing that together, but at least I'm -tryin'.-"

Earl sighs "You just don't understand. She is trying ... just staying in the room during that? That was a monumental effort on her part. Her kith, her insecuirties, and more, they all work against her being 'blunt'..and blunt by her standards is probably just plain talk by mine."

A grunt. "Maybe. Don't change the fact we ain't gettin' anywhere." The tight little bundle of frustration slips. "What the FURK!?!?! She wants me to stay around, I freakin' -RETIRE- an' give up only a year-plus a'work an' she HIDES for three days!! I gotta take care of that kid, that's plain, she's pissed about it an' THAT'S plain..... I tell 'er we're movin' ta Baltimore, not that far away, she says I can't an' I say I'll move to Scarsdale an' do... I dunno, janitor work or somethin' and.... SHIT!!!"

Panting, knobby hands fisted, struggling not to break stuff.

"Okay, Okay.. " He says "Baltimore is our fault. Not yours. And you aren't expected to give up your success for this... she's just not..." A sigh "You have a right to go where you think will be best for your craft, and your son. I know that. But before you fuss at her, remember I was the one speaking on what she wanted. Let's not blame her for MY pushing stuff ... "

"As for pissed about Jacob? Yes, she envies him, but did you see her with him? She's good to him too. It'll take time, but she also cares for him already. I know it seems like you're being put in a damned if you do damned if you don't thing, but watching over Jacob is the right thing. You're doing the right thing. And Zara knows it and despite some old insecurities, she agrees. As for hiding? " A sigh "She does that from time to time. You should have seen her a year ago. She's so much stronger now. "

Softer, "Miriam, I know you think that her family life was perfect with Hannah and Aaron and the uncles...but it's not just them that shaped her. She went to online school for a reason"

"Yeah, kith counts. An' she could remember that! Bet she don't blame Hiriam and Ratchet for losin' it sometimes...." She ends in a mutter.

"Oh they've still crossed her lines and set her off, but she's got more practice in facing them, she doesn't see them as... she knows HOW to challenge HIrim on his bullshit .. some of the time. You? She doesn't know how far is too far where she risks losing or offending so she does this backpeddle apology tour..which I suspect makes you feel like crap"

A frustrated sigh. "Yeah. Lost time."

"I.. love her, and that probably means I'm not being as fair to you as I should because when push comes to shove, I want her happy, but she wants YOU happy too. She's scared for you about Baltimore, and so on... look. I have flicker flash, and glamour and dross willing... You need a lift? LEt me know. You want to visit her? Trod not open? Let me know. "

"You need a babysitter so want to leave Jacob at the farm for a half day? Let me know"